Wrap stripe knitting machine



Jan. 28, 1941. A. HUTTON, JR., ETAL WRAP STRIPE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1939 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Q :5 a. 02 9 4 N N I N a, Q\\ E s- Q Q //YV'/YTOR,$': -JZFEDZ.H(/77'0A J1E 'wmfifima; y

A Arr) 2 1941- A. HUTTON, JR., 51w. 3 3

WRAP STRIPE KNITTING MACHINE '7 Sheet-Sheet :5

Filed Jan. 20, 1939 Fig.6.

slllln Jan. 28, 1941.

A. L HUTTON, JR., ETAL WRA? STRIPE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 1941. A. L. HUTTON, JR., ETAL 2,230,213

WRAP STRIPE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 1941- A. L. HUTTON, JR., arm. 2,230,213

WRAP STRIPE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1959 '7 sheets-sheet s i 16'. I Z

mm m m 1 Wm fivwriw il- 1 Jan. 28, 1941.

A. L. HUTTON, JR., arm. 2,230,213

WRAP STRIPE KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 JVI/ZZVZWRS:

Patented Jan. 28, 1941 PATENT OFFICE WRAP STRIPE KNITTING MACHINE Alfred L. Hutton, In, Lonsdale, and Eugene St.

Pierre, Pawtucket, B. 1., assignors to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, B. I., a, corporation of Massachusetts Application January 20, 1939, Serial No. 251,980

This case concerns a new method and mech-' anism for wrapping true wrap patterns in independent needle knitting machines. The invention is more particularly concerned with wrapping such patterns as cover a wide area and wherein large figures are to be wrapped without vertical floats running from a point wherein one wrap yarn is knitted in a course to a point where it isagain knitted in a course some distance from the first. Patterns are knitted in this manner with lines of one color crossing lines of another color.

In the figures of drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing a half hose with a simple pattern such as would be knitted with mechanism and by the method herein described;

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing parts of a knitting machine and the general arrangement of wrapping mechanism to which the invention ap- 20 plies;

Fig. 3 is a plan of such parts of the machine as are essential to an understanding of the invention and of parts of the wrapping mechanism and pattern control devices;

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the wrapping head itself with yarns threaded through the various wrapping fingers in accordance with one method of practicing the invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan of as much of the device as is shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section taken through the center of the wrapping head;

Fig. '7 is a detafl of the lower disc upon which some of the wrap yarn guiding fingers are 35 mounted and its spindle;

Fig. 8 is a similar detail of the upper disc and its spindle Fig. 9 is an elevation similar to Fig. 4 but showing the mechanism as each of the discs and ac- 40 companying wrap yarn guiding fingers has been rotated or shogged to its extreme opposite position:

Figs. 10-15 are detailed views showing so much of the mechanism as is necessary to illustrate various steps of the complete cycle of shogging discs and fingers from one extreme to the other, also the manner in which the wrapping means are controlled so that they do not interfere:

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view showing needle 50 cams, Jack cams and pathways of needle and jack butts as well as'needle hooks;

Fig. 17 is a atic view showing disposal of stitches and horizontal floats in a typical pattern having a diagonal outline;

Fig. 18 is a view showing a section of fabric greatly enlarged, taken at the center or intersection of one diamond with another; and

Fig. 19 is a similar enlarged view of fabric showing opposite corners 01- a diamond and the disposal of horizontal or coursewise floats. 6

With the various types of wrapping mechanism such as are employed at the present time and more particularly such as illustrated in United States Patent #1,'702,608, several wrap yarns are to be fed to selected needles, one yarn 10 being capable of feeding to a panel including several needles and of being shogged throughout a comparatively limited extent so that said panel may be varied in position about the tubular, knitted article throughout a relatively small an- 15 gle. In United States Patent No. 2,167,390 a method of wrapping and mechanism have been disclosed and claimed wherein wrap yarn carrying fingers or elements being operated in separate groups are shogged to and fro, one group 20 in one direction, while the other group either stays relatively stationary or is shogged in the opposite direction. In that case the shogging in opposite directions, or the shogging of either group of fingers relatively to the other took place 25 over an angle of approximately 45 degrees, that angle being limited by inability to shog one yarn past another. In other words, fingers in opposite groups were never shogged to that extent which would necessitate moving one of the wrapping yarns past one of the other wrapping yarns.

In this case a method and mechanism are evident wherein the groups of wrap yarn carrying guides or fingers are separately shogged to and from each other, andfurthermore, fingers may pass-each other so that one wrap yarn may wrap, first in advance of another or at the opposite side of said wrap yarn considering the relative positions of parts as they rotate with respect to other fixed elements. This brings about results 0 in which wrap yarns may wrap difierent panels of needles according to a relatively great number of shogging steps to complete a series. For example, one wrap yarn guiding finger may be shogged with its attendant mechanism for apd5 proximately degrees in one direction, and at the same time, another finger and its cooperating fingers and their carrying means may be shogged approximately 180 degrees. but in the opposite direction. Thus a wrap yarn will wrap 59 a needle or plurality of needles in different panels in succeeding courses throughout about 180 degrees of the knitted tube. The fact that any two of the separately mounted and controlled flngers may make such a movement makes 55 2 assoms moved, all at one step, back to the initial starting point. The latter system would leave a float extending across the article which might be out later. of course, there would be coursewise floats from one knitted panel to the next as the pattern is stepped along the fabric, and possibly, the

long floats just above mentioned. Wrapping is continuous with each yarn at all times so that there are no walewise floats. To knit anything in the nature of the patterns herein illustrated and described with mechanism at present available, it has been necessary to break the pattern up so that different yarns are knitted in a single line of the fabric, and where that is done, the pattern must jump from one course to another spaced several courses from the first which makes necessary a walewise float. While long floats ex-- tending circumferentlally of a fabric are easily out, these walewise floats are not easily cut and are usually left in the fabric. They detract from the appearance of the fabric at. the interior, and in more sheer materials, may be seen from the outside of the fabric thus marring the appearance of what otherwise would be a perfect knitted article.

Referring to the figures of drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates rather conventionally, a knitted half hose having a top or welt I, a leg 2 and foot 3 with the usual heel 4 and toe 5. The foot as illustrated has a plain sole and patterned instep; both may be patterned if desired. A pattern consisting of large diamond outlines 6 is knitted of a size so that two diamonds extend completely about the fabric. In other words, each diamond extends 180 degrees about the knitted tube. At the instep some half diamonds are produced since the pattern is not allowed to extend down into the sole. The outline of said diamond shaped figures will be wrapped from single wrap threads or yarns, and may all be of the same color, two or four colors as will be evident from the following disclosure. If from two colors, one color will cross another, and if there are four colors employed, there will be a crossing of different pairs of colors at different points in the fabric.

In Figs. 2, 3 and others, a knitting machine such as a hosiery machine has been illustrated in which a base 'I would be mounted at the top of the usual frame and carries a cylinder, preferably rotatable although not necessarily so, and in which are to be mounted for operation independently actuated needles such as the commonly employed latch needles. A sinker head accommodates the usual sinkers for knitting either plain work or reverse plated work as desired. A carrier ring 3 is pivoted on the usual post 9 and has a series of yarn feeding fingers III which serve to feed the main yarns such as knitted in the leg, heel or toe, or other common parts of a stocking or other knitted article. The usual stitch cams, later to be described, will impart stitch drawing movements to the needles, but since the knitting of the base fabric is not different from that usually prevailing, further description will not be given in this case.

The wrapping mechanism such as illustrated in United States Patent #1,'l02,608 is mounted to rotate with spindle II which is eccentrically mounted with respect to the needle cylinder.

This spindle is rotated at the same angular speed as the cylinder and carries supplies of wrap yarns, take-ups, and at its lower end, a so-called wrapping head having wrap yarn carrying fingers through which the various yarns are threaded, and it is with this part of the devicethat the present invention is mainly concerned. The entire spindle and attached mechanism may be raised and lowered to present the wrap yarns to selected needles at desired times. This raising and lowering movement is accomplished by a lever l2 pivoted on a bracket l3 at the upper end of a post 14 which is in turn supported in a boss I projecting from the post 9. This lever l2 has at its end adjacent the spindle a pin or roll 16 which is engaged in the groove H in collar l8. This collar is fixed to a smaller spindle 19, Figs. 4, 5, 6 and others. This spindle I9 is removable from the larger spindle H but is fixed therein when in an operative position. A link 20 connects at the outer end of a lever l2 and extends downwardly to certain connections at the pattern drum to determine when the spindle will be lifted as in the heel or toe or at other desired times. The usual plate 2| is attached to the carrier ring 3, Figs. 2 and 3, and operates upon a roller 22 which projects to the other side of the lever I2 from the pin it. This plate 2| serves when the carrier ring 8 is swung upwardly as when transferring a rib top to the needles to raise the wrap mechanism up out of the way.

Now referring to Figs. 4-8, the details of the so-called wrapping head assembly will be described. The spindle is is tubular in form at its lower part and serves to support rotatably two plates or discs, the upper disc 23 and lower disc 24. Each of these discs has attached thereto depending fingers of such a length that they extend downwardly to feed wrap yarns to the needles, each finger extending to the same horizontal level although attached to discs at a diflerent height. Long fingers 25 and 26 are attached to upper disc 23 while short fingers 21 and 28 are attached to the lower disc. The long fingers 25 and 26 are drilled at two places for guiding the yarns as shown in these figures and also in Figs, 9-15. The short fingers have wrap yarns threaded through openings at their lower ends only. The

short fingers 21 and 28 are so arranged as to avoid interference with the long fingers and their wrap threads, see F g. 4.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, the upper disc 23 is integral with a tubular stem generally designated at 29; this stem is undercut so that bearing surfaces.

30, 3| and 32 are a working fit within the tubular part of the spindle I9. A groove 33 between the bearing surfaces 3| and 32 is engaged by the end of a screw 34 threaded through from the outside of spindle l9 and holds the stem 29 from axial movement with respect to the spindle. However, the disc 23 and stem 28 may rotate freely within spindle I! as controlled by other elements later to be described. The lower disc 24 has projecting therefrom a stem 35 which is of proper diameter to flt rotatably within the tubular stem 29 of the upper disc:

.Thisxst'em 35 retained in the tubular stem 23 by'aiscrew 33 and washer 31. These parts are assembiedbefore being inserted upwardly within the spindle-l3 and then both are inserted in said spindle whereupon the screw 3! will be employed to retain the entire assembly. The stem 29 has a helical groove or slot 38 while the stem 35 has a groove 33. These grooves or slots will extend substantially 180 degrees so that they may be em be experienced even with the extreme shogging pioyed to impart the 180 degree shagging movement to the discs. However, they are cut in opposite directions so that when one disc moves clockwise, the other moves counter-clockwise, and vice versa.

A collar 40 having a groove 4| and extending hub 42 is slidable vertically at the outside of the lower end of the spindle l9. This collar and its hub, while free to slide-vertically are held to rotate with the spindle is by means of a reduced end 43 of a screw 44. This screw 44 is threaded into the hub as shown in Fig. 6 and is locked in proper position by locking nut 45. A slot 46 is cut vertically of the tubular part of the stem l9 and the reduced end of the screw is a moving fit in this slot 46. The said reduced part of the screw projects further inwardly, through the helical slot 38 and into the second slot 39. Slot 39 is cut to taper as illustrated and the end 41 of the reduced portion of the screw engages the tapered slot and may be adjusted therein. The adjustment compensates for any possible tendency for back-lash which might occur after a period of wear since the inner stem is of fairly small diameter.

The yarns which are to be wrapped about selected needles are threaded down through eyelets 48 in the upper collar and 49 in the collar 49. These eyelets are in alignment and the yarns are led down through them and to the figures 25-28. Yarns which are fed through the longer fingers 25 and 26 pass down through the eyelets and then directly through the small holes in the fingers themselves. Other yarns which are to be fed through the short fingers 27 and 28 are threaded through the eyelets and then through an elongated annular circumferential opening in each or the plates or discs 23 and M, then to openings in the ends of each finger. These elongated, circumferential openings designated at 50 and 5! in the upper and lower discs, respectively, are shown in Figs. 6 and 10-15. These openings extend throughout practically the entire circumferential extent of the discs at their particular location,

45 the outside of each disc merely being attached to rotation of the parts during needle wrapping.

Very little strength is required and it is possible to cut away this material and to provide such elongated openings in which the threads may move without detracting from the practical utility of these discs.

As the discs are shogged in opposite directions and throughout an extreme movement of about 180 degrees, it can be seen that each of the yarns threaded through these openings and feeding through the short fingers will be free to move or slide within these elongated openings and thus there can be no serious friction or binding upon the yarn such as might result if they were to become tangled or could not move freely as illustrated in the opposite positions at Figs. 4 and 9, or the intermediate positions, Figs. 11-14. Since these yarns fed by the inner or shorter fingers are threaded down through the said elongated openings, they never become entangled or have interference with the outer or longer fingers. The other yarns fed through the outer fingers likewise are kept away from the first mentioned yarns and fingers and operate to feed in a manner wherein no entanglement will movements in opposite directions.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, mechanism is shown whereby the collar 40 is to be moved vertically, step by step, or at a single motion, to vary the position of the wrap yarn fingers with respect to the circle of needles. -A forked lever 54 is pivoted at its outer end at 55 to the bracket it having its forked end engageable by pins 56 at either side which take within the groove 4|. This lever is in alignment with a second lever which is a bell crank lever havinga short arm 51' and a longer depending arm 58. This lever is pivoted at 59 and a widened portion 60 of the arm 51 engages an adjusting contact screw 8| threaded through the lever 54. Referring to Fig.

'3, the arm 58 is engaged by a. hooked end of lever 62 pivoted at 63 on a bracket 64 projecting upwardly from the base 1. This lever 82 has separately connected at the opposite side of the pivot an arm 65 with a follower 46 which is to engage stepped cams generally designated by 61 which are attached to a drum 88 pivoted at 69. This drum is preferably the pattern drum for imparting selections to the needles or other instrumentalities such, for example, as the drum which imparts selections for those needles which are to take the wrap yarns. This drum is ratcheted step by step, at intervals, so that diiferent ones of the cams 61 are presented beneath the toe 66 thereby making it possible to change the position of collar 40 at intervals such as ever course, every two courses or at some other appropriate intervals during the knitting of an article.

According to the particular pattern shown, each of the cams 61 is a. little higher than the preceding cams so that the collar 40 is elevated slightly for several steps, and then upon reaching the highest cam, will fall to lowermost position, see Fig. 3. This particular calm arrangement starts at the lowest position at which the pairs of fingers such as 25, 27-26, 28 will be substantially together. Then the shogging movement will start and will progress until at the highest cam, each of the fingers will have moved 180 degrees, approximately, whereupon each of the fingers will have changed its relative position to the opposite side of the figure, Fig. 4, but in arriving at that position, each pair of fingers will have been revolved in the opposite direction. For example, the fingers 25 and 27 which start together will separate for the first 90 degrees or their movement and then will draw together again at the opposite side during the second 90 degrees of the movement with respect to each finger.

The movement of cams 61! may be varied, or, other pattern controlling means may be emplayed. The adjusting screw 6| allows for properly positioning the collar 40 so that when in its extreme positions, or at least one extreme position, the fingers will be in some desired starting or ending position. Instead of having one gradual progression of cams from a lowest to the highest and then a complete drop to the lowest cam from the highest, cams may step up gradually and, then back through the same or similar increments so that the gradual separation and drawing together of the fingers as shogging in opposite direction occurs, will be duplicated on the return rather than having one movement to impart the complete degrees or other return motion.

Now referring to Figs. 4 and 9-45, the movable parts of the wrapping head are shown in two extreme positions 'and in several intermediate positions. In Fig. 4 the various yarns, four in d aceaare number, are threaded through the eyelets and .49 in the discs l8 and 40, and then, are threaded through the fingers 25-28. These yarns are designated by the letters 10, 0:. I and 2. In the initial position, Fig. 4, wherein the follower O6 is at the lowest position as indicated in Fig. 3, the yarns are threaded so that the yarn w is threaded straight downwardly through eyelets 48, 48 and.

through the openings in the long wrap yarn finger 26. The other yarn z is threaded through an adjacent eyelet at that side of the head ,and then through the openings or slots 50 and Ii in the discs 23 and 24, then through the short finger 28 at that side of the wrapping head. This yarn s is threaded as illustrated in Fig. 10 so that it is behind the connection 52 and in front of the lower connection 53. This system of threading assures that as the discs are shogged, as will be evident in the following figures, there will be no tangling or additional kinking of the yarn or yarns and thus they will flow freely through their guides.

At the other side the yarn :2 passes down through eyelets 48, 49, then over to the opposite side and is threaded through the same openings in the discs, that is, behind the connection 52 and in front of the connection 53, then back to the same side and through the finger 21. The other yarn y is threaded through the eyelets, then directly down through openings in the longer finger 25.

Now following through from Figs. 10-15, the

positions of yarns are shown in each of several stages in the movement as the follower 65 is stepped up on the cams 61 to the highest of those cams at which position, Figs. 9 and 15 indicate the relationship of the various parts and yarns when they have moved 180 degrees (approximately) from their initial position. In each of the intermediate stages it will be seen that two of the yarns w and y merely tend to be drawn around the hub 42 and lower end of spindle id, but at opposite sides thereof, so that there is no tendency for them to tangle or to interfere for each other. Neither is there any tendency for them to engage the other yarns at and 2 in any manner which would lead to undesirable operation. The other two yarns a: and z are guided within the slots or openings 50 and 5| and are limited somewhat in their movement by the connecting elements 52 and 53. As the discs are shogged, these yarns are displaced to some extent; their pathways vary but they are so controlled that they never travel through any pathway which would tend to bring about unnecessary interference between the yarns or between them and parts of the wrapping mechanism itself.

Now referring to Fig. 16 the main yarn feeding finger Ill is shown feeding a yarn at a conventional feeding station or mouthpiece while the wrapping head discs 23 and 24 are shown fragmentarily with one of the longer wrap fingers such as the finger 25 feeding a wrap yarn 1!. A needle 68 having a butt 69 is controlled by a jack Ill having a plurality of removable butts ll, only one of which is shown remaining on this particular jack. It is to be understood that jacks have these butts arranged according to a. predetermined pattern and that by means of the jacks and a plurality of selecting cams l2, needles will be elevated at a proper time to take one of the wrap yarns w, 1:, y or 2. These cams or plungers 12 will be controlled .by mechanism functioning from pattern means on the drum 68, this all be ingwell known to those skilled in the art and these lacks is shown at 14. On the usual cam plate 15 arethe raise cams l6 and 11 while the knitting cams I8, 18, center guard cam and centerraise cam Ii .are diagrammatically shown, these being more or less conventional. The pathway of needle butts it is as indicated at 82, a cam 83 serving to limit firing of the needles as they are selected and wrapped and also assuring that needle butts are lowered so as to engage properly beneath the center cam 80. The pathway of needle hooks is shown at 84. Such needles as are selected will have their hooks raised high enough for one of the fingers 25-28 to wrap a wrap yarn about the shank of the needle just below the hook. Other needles, those not raised, will not be high enough at this point to engage any of the wrap yarns. After receiving the wrap yarn those needles and all needles pass on to knit in the usual way beneath the cam 19. Obviously the invention is applicable where other types of selection are employed and where wrapping may be done beneath the latch instead of above the latch. While the wrapping mechanism herein shown by way of example is eccentrically mounted and follows closely to the usual Banner type as exemplified in Patent #l,702,608, the principles of the invention may be applied to other types of wrapping means and it is the intention of the inventors to include such other wrapping means although specific description is given of only one.

Having described the mechanism and general method and principles of operation of the same, a description of knitting a simple wrap pattern as shown in Figs 17-19 will now be given. One of the advantages of this method and mechanism is that shogging of the fingers and wrap yarns may extend throughout such a great angle-(approximately 180 degrees as herein illustrated) that a single yarn may wrap a very great number of needles in a plurality of courses,- although it does not wrap more needles than usual in any single course. Thus it becomes possible, especially when it is considered that one finger may be shogged in' one direction while a companion finger is simultaneously shogged in the opposite direction, to make an outline of a figure which will extend for a great many wales in the fabric. There is no necessity of breaking such large figured outlines into several parts and wrapping each of the parts with one finger and its yarn as has heretofore been necessary. This makes it unnecessary to have floats lengthwise of the fabric.

In Fig. 17 enough of a figure of the pattern is shown to illustrate the principle of operation. The junction or intersection of lines for one of the figures, which is incidentally a diamond in this case, is shown at 85 at one side and a similar intersection 86 at the other side. These represent the widest separated points in a single figure and are at the opposite sides of a knitted tube, thus degrees apart. It may be assumed that the wrap yarn fingers are in the position of Figs. 9 j

the follower B6 falls from the highest cam on the drum 68. That will drop the collar 40 to lowermost position as shown in Fig. 4 whereupon the start of widening the figure will begin. Floats 81 moms one side and It at the opposite are making thueparticular lines, the pattern will first be stepped inwardly to an intersection at l! and then will widen out to the original width at the top of the figure. In this particular pattern the selection is such that each finger wraps three needles in a course and wraps the same needles for two consecutive courses before a shagging movement is imparted. At the cornersof the flgurea'which are the intersections of the diagonal lines four needles are wrapped for two consecutive courses. The finger 21 will wrap the line generally dsignated at I and. extending from the intersection at at to the opposite intersection at ll. The opposite finger 2' is wrapping the other diagonal line at 02 from the intersection at II and towards the right. to the opposite intersection II. As before stated, these lines intersect at 8!. Thus each finger 21 feeds a yarn of one, color and finger 25 a yarn of another color, both colors will be knitted in at ll although Particular stitches will probably only show one of the colors. The outward appearance is that of a straight line of one color crossing a diagonally disposed line of a different color.-

These fingers 21 and 2. starting at the position of Figs. 4 and 10, move around to the front crossing each other, and then separate until they reach the position of Figs. 9 and 15. Then asthey move back at one complete step other floats ll and similar to the floats l| and I! are drawn out. Of course. these floats arecut when the finished product is taken from the machine and do not constitute an objectionable feature. It may be seen that each of the wrap yarn fingers wraps its yarn continuously and thetacept for these elongated coursewis'e floats, there will be no other floats and especially no walewise floats which have been characteristic 'of such en'- larged patterns knitted by any system heretofore prevailing. The other fingers and 18 will move around at the opposite side of the wrapping head and will function in a similar fashion to produce a pattern at the other half of the knitted tube.

Now referring to Fig. 18, a section of fabric, greatly enlarged, is illustrated wherein anarea at 89 is shown in detail. The wrapped line I is constituted by a wrap yarn of one color, said yarn being designated at 2:. The'other line .2 is being wrapped with the yarn in. The disposal of floats is illustrated, the yarn :r floating at I from the last wrapped loop of the threeneedles wrapping in the first course and leading to the first of the three needles wrapped in the second course. Then as the pattern is steppedoverra short float 91 connects that wrapped area with the central wrapped area ll. Likewise, at

opposite side, the yarn w is floated 8t-.. -f1'0m the first course to the second course and then floats with a longer float 99 over to the first loop in the central or intersecting area. As before stated, that area generally designated at I! is wrapped with both 'of these yarns. Obviously there is no fixed manner in which the two'wrap yarns will appear on the face of the fabric. There is a. tendency to .the appearance shown in this figure wherein the yarn first leading into the wrapped area will appear at the face in front of that which leads to the figure from the opposite side. However, this is not necessarily true in Y each instance and it is our experience over a .be wrapped in consecutive considerable period of time that no fixed or predetermined arrangement of these wrap, yarns can be expected. In a fine gaugefabric it is not necessaryv that either yarn appear exactly in any predetermined manner at theintersection since at a casual glance the lines merely seem to intersect and cross each other at this point. At the intersection four needles are wrapped for two consecutive courses whereupon the yarn: leads to the next wrapped area by a float, "III while the yarn :0 extends in the opposite direction by a' float Ill and from that point, three needles will the respective yarns.

In Fig. 19 a section of fabric is shown broken away in the center, but illustrating the intersections of figures at the ends, at 85 and 86, re-

spectively. At 8! there are four needles wrapped in the third com'se which are wrapped after a shogging of the fingers from position of Fig. 9 to that of Fig. 4. The float 81 leads the wrap yarn to the first of these four needles from the opposite side of the fabric or from the second course of the wrapped area I02. Likewise. the intersection 86 is knitted after the elongated float II has been drawn out from the wrapped area I to the first wrapped loop in the area 88. The other floats shown in this Fig. 19 are very similar tofloats previously described with respect to Fig- 18.

In the particular form of the invention illustrated, the shagging movement of each disc has been approximately 180 degrees.- It is to be understood that this is not an absolute limit since movements in excess of this are obtainable, and of course, for some purposes, the movement of one or both discs might notbe so great. It is also contemplated to knit certain patterns in be so great if more yarns and fingers were employed. I The invention is applicable to other types of wrap mechanism. Equivalent means for selecting needles maybe used. The invention is defined in the following claims.

We claim:

l. Wrapping means for a circular independent needle knitting machine having incombination a plurality of means through which wrap yarns are threaded and by which said yarns are to be fed to selected needles, the construction being such that said means through which the wrap yarns are threaded may be selectively moved in opposed directions to such an extent that widely separated wrap yam feeding means -operate first at one side of other similar means and then at the other.

pairs of courses with 2. Yarn wrapping means for circular indepairs of said feeding means may be moved past each other without affecting the feeding of wrap yarns threaded therethrough.

3. Wrap yarn feeding means for circular independent needle knitting machines including'in combination a plurality of wrap yarn feeding fingers through which wrap yarns are threaded and by means of which they are to be wrapped about selected needles, a support for some of said fingers and a second support for others of said fingers, shogging means for each support and its fingers constructed to shog both supports in opposite directions and throughout an angle of approximately 180 degrees.

4. Wrap yarn feeding mean-s for circular independent needle knitting machines'having in combination a plurality 'of wrap yarn feeding fingers through which wrap yarns are threaded and by means of which they are wrapped about selected needles, supporting means for some of said fingers and a separate supporting means for others of said fingers, each of said supporting means being angularly movable, means for simultaneously moving each of the supports, one

in one direction and the other in the opposite direction, the construction being such that each of the supports and its fingers can be shogged approximately 180 degrees without interference between wrap yarns and without affecting the feeding of said yarns to selected needles.-

5. Wrap yarn feeding means for knitting machines including in combination a spindle, a disc beneath said spindle and having anextension rotatable within the spindle but axially restrained from movement with respect to the spindle, a second disc heaving an extension within the extension of the first disc and being restrained from axial movement with respect thereto but free to turn in either direction with respect to the first disc or the spindle, a plurality of wrap yarn feeding means projecting from each disc, a collar slidable on the spindle and having means attached thereto extending through the spindle and engageable with slots in the extensions of the discs for imparting shogging movements to them, elongated annular slots in the discs through which wrap yarns may be threaded, the construction being such that each of the discs may be shogged to such an extent that feeding means on one disc wrapping in advance of other feeding means on the other disc may be caused to pass said other means and to function in wrapping in the reversed relationship resulting from such extreme shogging movement.

6. In a circular independent needle knitting machine the combination of needles, selecting means for wrapping predetermined ones of needles to receive wrap yarns, wrap yarn feeding means comprising a plurality of means through each of which a wrap yarn is threaded and by means of which it may be fed to selected needles, supporting means for one group of said feeding means and a separate supporting means for another group, means for selectively shogging said supporting means and their wrap yarn feeding means in opposite directions to such an extent and to selectively varying extents in either direction, that certain of the yarn feeding means act to feed yarns first at one side and then at the other side of companion feeding means so that two separately fed wrap yarns may be so controlled as to form a pattern wherein one of the yarns forms a pattern which crosses that formed by the other.

'7. In a circular knitting machine the combinasupport similar to the first but separately movtion of a series of independently movable needles, means for selecting said needles, wrap yam feeding means so constructed and operated as to feed wrap yarns selectively along diagonal lines in either direction and whereinone line resulting 5 from the feeding of a wrap yarn will cross another line resulting from the feeding of another wrap yarn.

8. In a. circular knitting machine the combination .of independently movable needles, means 10 for selecting said needles to receive wrap yarns, wrap yarn feeding means. constructed and arranged to be shogged, some of said means in one direction and other of said means in the opposite direction, throughout an angular extent of sub- 15 'yam feeding means including means through which wrap yarns are threaded, some of said means being attached to one relatively movable disc and others of said means being attached to a separately movable disc, the construction being such that each disc may'be shogged approxi- 5 mately 180 degrees independently or simultaneously and further constructed to guide and prevent said wrap yarn's from becoming entangled or interferring with one another.

10. Wrap yarn feeding means including a rotatable wrapping spindle, a support for a plurality of'wrap yarn guiding fingers relatively movable with respect to said spindle and a second 11. Wrap yarn feeding means including in combinations, spindle, two supports, each support being rotatable relatively to the spindle and to the other support, means for preventing axial movements of the supports with respect to the spindle and other means movable along the spin- 4 dle for shogging each support and its attached wrap yarn feeding means in opposite directions and throughout an angle of at least 180 degrees.

12. In a wrap yarn feeding means, wrap yarn feeding fingers and supports for the same, orie support being movable in the opposite direction from the other in accordance with movements imparted by shogging mechanism, elongated, an-

nular openings in the supports through which wrap yarns are threaded and within which they 55 are guided so as to avoid interference when the supports and their wrap yarn feeding means are moved throughout relatively great angular extents.

13. Wrap yarn feeding means including a plu- 60 rality of fingers through which wrap yarns are threaded and by means of which said yarns are wrapped about selected needles, discs to which said fingers are attached and means for shogi ging said discs in opposite directions and throughout an angular extent of substantiallylBO degrees so that a wrap yarn feeding finger on one of the discs will operate first in advance of another finger on the opposite disc and thereafter will operate in a relatively retarded position with respect to said other finger.

14. Wrap yarn feeding means for circular independent needle knitting machines including in combination an eccentrically mounted spindle,

supports rotatable with said spindle each carrying at least one wrap yarn feeding means, means for shogging said supports angularly with respect to the spindle and in opposite directions throughout such an extent that a wrap yarn feeding means on one support will move from one side to the opposite side of a similar means on the other support, an annular slot in each support through which wrap yarns are to be threaded and by means of which they are restrained from becoming tangled.

15. Wrap yarn feeding means for knitting machines including in combination a spindle, a disc beneath said spindle and having an extension rotatable within the spindle but restrained from axial movement with respect to the spindle, a second disc having an extension within the extension of the first disc and being restrained from axial movement with respect thereto but free to turn in either direction relatively to the first disc or to the spindle, a plurality of wrap yarn feeding means on each disc, a collar slidable on the spindle and having means thereon extending radially within the spindle, cam slots in the extensions of the discs within which said radially extending means engages for imparting shogging movements to the discs when said collar is moved axially of the spindle, the construction being such that each of the discs may be shogged to such an extent that feeding means on one disc wrapping in advance of another feeding means on the other disc may be retarded to a position behind said other means.

ALFRED L. HU'I'ION, JR.

EUGENE ST. PIERRE. 

